


Through dark clouds, we stand united

by Charizarrdo



Series: Calming Minds and Raging Heartbeats [3]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Betrayal, Cuddles, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Massage, Miscommunication, a touch of romance, but also not really, but is it miscommunication when you don't explain yourself properly?, it probably is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-14 08:28:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29043132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charizarrdo/pseuds/Charizarrdo
Summary: Life out on sea is harsh and unpredictable, its giant blue surface on itself proved enough of a challenge as it was. There should be no need for those that wreak havoc and plunder everything within sight, but there are those who do. Yet loss remains a painful concept when you're floating out on sea.And in times of heavy storms it's comforting to have family to surround you.That is until emotions run wild and sneers are thrown left and right. Then all you're left with is a pain that tore holes deeper into your already broken heart.But your loved ones will never be too far away to steer you onto the righteous path and mend the mistakes you've made. No matter the wave you're about to conquer, together we'll get through it.
Relationships: Fushichou Marco | Phoenix Marco/Portgas D. Ace
Series: Calming Minds and Raging Heartbeats [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2043148
Comments: 8
Kudos: 31





	Through dark clouds, we stand united

**Author's Note:**

> Fair warning, this was supposed to be a fluffy massage fic. The only problem is that I kinda turned it around entirely and now it's angsty lmao  
> Nevertheless I still hope you enjoy it and the bit of fluff makes up for the pain! :3

“Can you believe that?!” A voice angrily roared in the room, its volume shattering on the wooden planks that offered only a semblance of a barrier to the outside world.

“He was a part of _my_ division, therefore _my_ responsibility! And yet none of you let me go!” A finger agitatedly pointed towards a bored looking man, standing in stark contrast to the whirlwind of a storm that raged through the room.

“Ace,” the man sighed, repeating this action for the umpteenth time, and ticking of the other room occupant once more, “it’s been decided, just let it go. There’s nothing you could’ve—”

“Don’t!” Ace barked, turning on his heel with a fire in his eyes. “Don’t try to smooth talk me out of this, Marco!”

“I’m not, Ace. I really am not. The only thing I want you to understand is _why_ we kept you from going, yoi. Us not trusting you was never the reason, we only—”

“If you all trust me, then why don’t you let me go?” Ace boomed over the blonde’s calm voice. With a single step he found himself before the man and furiously glared down at him.

Impatience rose with each passing flicker in the blue orbs beneath him. A little over an hour had they been locked in this godforsaken place he used to call his bedroom; his sanctuary in which only he and the man before him would come to rest and be together. Yet now it turned into a prison as Marco had been carefully calculating his every word for the past hour and only proved to agitate Ace even further.

“Are you truly this blind, Ace…. Have you not heard what we said? Did you not listen to the words and their actually meaning?” Marco moved up from his chair, reversing their roles as now he was the tallest person in the room again.

“You’re being unreasonable—”

“We’re doing everything we can to protect you! Why can’t you get that through that thick skull of yours?!”

As if a cold blanket draped itself over the room the silence grew hauntingly still, tugging on both men with its icy grip. An hour, it had taken Ace an hour to get a response that was in no way condescending or senseless, something that wasn’t trying to keep him from burning down the door and jumping into his one-man boat. But he never imagined that Marco would raise his voice at him.

Only a handful of moments had the blond raised his voice at him; when Ace would once again plummet into the sea, or when he emphasized that Ace _did_ need a checkup after an intense battle. But never like this. Marco had been nothing if patient when it came to him, caring and considerate of his every action. Never fed up and impatient, looking like he would tear through hell and back if it meant keeping Ace locked into this room that used to give him peace.

And if there was one thing Ace hated more than being ordered around, that would be being treated like a lost kid that doesn’t understand how the world works. And among the list of people he never wanted to hear that from, the man he confessed his love for would be the last to give him such a horrible feeling.

“Glad to know you still see me as a hopeless kid, makes it a hell of a lot easier to understand what this relationship really is.” Ace sneered to the man. Anger flowed through his veins and the scowl on his face portrayed exactly how he felt on the inside—ready to burst. He could feel the almost losing tug war with the fire that tried to break free, a build in defense mechanism that wanted to protect itself from any harm done by outside parties.

“Ace… no wait.” Marco followed after Ace like a lost puppy, hints of anxiety marring his face. “That’s not how I meant it, you have to understand, please, yoi.” The frantic edge in the usual collected voice was easily pinpointed by Ace, sounding almost begging and regretful. But it’s too late for that, Marco should have thought about it sooner.

“I understand it alright, don’t worry.” Ace turned to face the man, just before he opened the door. What where once gentle blue orbs that reminded Ace of the endless ocean had now turned into stormy seas, growing more grim as the crease in his forehead deepened the longer their silence persevered. 

“This was a mistake,” Ace broke the impending silence as he stared hard to the man before him. “I don’t want to see you.”

With a shove unnecessarily hard the door locked itself back into place, its shrill echo spreading throughout the silent halls of the Moby Dick. Ace wanted to say more, so much more than this, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so. Only because it would be the most difficult lie he had ever told, and Marco would easily had seen through his façade. Yet the words appear glued in his consciousness and scream loudly through his head.

_‘We’re over’_

Cussing and rumbling caught his attention. Momentarily he forgot about his own darkening thoughts as the looked around the empty corridor to pinpoint the sounds.

**“FUCK!”**

The singular word coursed through the hall in deafening speed, leaving behind nothing but a sinking feeling of dread and a numbness that not even cold could comprehend.

The heart shattering noises came from his room—Marco’s and his. Curiosity filled the empty slots in his brain that wondered what the scene inside would be. He pictured Marco, lobbying around the room as hands worked through his hair, disheveling the golden strands Ace loved to thread his fingers through. How Marco’s face would be set in agonizing and burning anger, fuming over what had happened and overthinking ever little detail. Or how Marco would be standing in their room, mad by hurt as pieces of wrecked furniture litter the floor, no longer covered by their usual goods. How the black ink and Marco’s precious quill would lay between the ruins, blotching ink on everything within its reach.

For a moment, brief and fleeting, Ace debated with himself, weighing his options on the countless decisions that shot through him. No matter what happened, his heart cried out to hear the man he loved so dearly in pain, knowing fully well he had been on the front row on dealing with the current ongoing events. But for once Ace wanted to be selfish, he wanted to put himself first and lick his wounds how he pleased instead of following null orders. Not only Marco was hurting here, he was too, the whole crew had been hurt.

The pain. The betrayal. The blood. The stale scent of metal that tainted the otherwise salty sea breeze. 

The wounds are too fresh. Barely a full day had passed, and yet the entire crew turned into lifeless ghouls that haunt the ship. Following their usual shift of maintaining the ship and its course, but inside they appeared as dead as the amber eyes that stared up at him that night.

And all of it was his fault. He was commander of the second division, he was responsible for the men and their actions, he was the one his men confide in when they needed to get something off their chests. No matter what happened, it should have been him to notice the change in one of his men, however small it might be. He should have seen it and prevented anything from happening. 

But he didn’t.

He failed as a commander and now the traitor got away. All that was left for him to do, to make sure he proved his worth as a commander and member of the crew, was to make the backstabber pay for his sins. And even his quest on avenging his fallen brother was taken from him. Marco and the other commanders were to blame for that as they had latched onto his arms and legs to keep him from jumping off ship. All and every protest that left him in a fury of curses were a losing battle when his supposedly brothers and lover carried him to his room, chaining him to the bed with sea stone cuffs to keep him under control. 

“Ace?”

The call for his name broke Ace from his thoughts and he turned to meet the owner of the voice. A wrinkled forehead with frowning brows that hid a compassionate gaze was what greeted him, and for the same condescending reasons as before he felt ticked off again. Out of everyone, _he_ shouldn’t be the one that worries the crew.

Instead of answering the way he usually would, Ace sidestepped the burly man without sparing him another glance. 

His aim to move further into the halls was stopped as a hand wrapped around his shoulder, snug and tight, causing him to fail in his step. “Ace, where are you going?”

“Somewhere,” he grumbled, the words barely audible over his own growling voice. No matter how nice Blenheim might be, today was not a day he was in the mood to talk with the man.

“Wait a minute, Ace.” Blenheim called to him in a tone far calmer than the hand that rested impatiently on his shoulder. Ace was glad to be of fire, a grip like that could snap bones without any trouble and that would be the last thing he wanted to deal with today.

Nonetheless Ace could feel the fire whirl up inside him, feeling absolutely annoyed by everyone’s need to patronize him like some lost kid. Covered in a flurry of flames Ace pivoted around in a desperate attempt to free himself from the unyielding hand. Yet fire seemed meaningless before the man as Blenheim hold on, portraying no pain as the fire scorched his hand.

“Let go!” Ace roared. A familiar feeling starting to burn in his core.

Blenheim, gradually loosening his hold as the fire continued to angerly whirl around the limp—not at all amused by the lack of burning. But the weight on his shoulder did not falter and Ace felt himself getting pulled in closer. “Ace, calm down will ya.”

Ace felt something snap. May it have been the constant babying they put him through or their lack of trust in his abilities—he did not know; all he knew was that the bucket that held his calm had finally been tipped over. 

“I said, LET GO!”

Among the flames that flickered off his body at the forceful command, he felt an unconscious wave of haki escape him. His control on conquerors haki might have been a horrible joke but losing his cool like this had not happened in a very long time.

Startled by his own sudden burst, it took far longer than he liked to admit before he noticed what Blenheim did. Arms large enough to match his size came around Ace as the man brought him in for a hug. Any form of complaint from the younger was quickly squashed as the man began to speak.

"Days look bleary and dead. And through the blackened sky that clouds our judgment, it's hard to see the dawn of a new day." Words spoken in an almost poetic sense caught Ace off guard, much like the hug he found himself in. "We might be unable to see what's beyond the veils, but warm days will greet us when the rain subsides."

Ace was, much to his own confusion, lost beyond words. Blenheim: a large and burly man who wields his sword with ease, looking like he doesn't care about anyone's problems but his own and kept more to himself than others, suddenly turned into a wise poetic embodiment before Ace. And for a lack of words, left Ace stranded on the fabricated image he had on the man.

And despite the thoughts that ran through him; it felt nice. Seeing the man in a different light allowed him to let himself relax for a moment. To enjoy the hug that feels so warm and comforting.

Ever since the first ring of the ship’s alarm his emotions had been reeling over. The sudden call to arms for an enemy attack had the entire crew shoot up from their peaceful slumber and in fighting mode at the blink of an eye. Yet all they stumbled on was no enemy attack. 

It was far worse than that.

Blood pooled around a lifeless form as red bloomed vibrantly on once sterile white. The stale scent of bloodied metal staining the otherwise salty air as men fell to their knees with tears streaming down their faces. The fourth division commander; everyone's best friend and number one prankster next to Haruta, greatest cook on the Moby Dick and most cheerful man alive, was stabbed and left for death. 

At the discovery of his best friend bleeding to death, Ace lost his grip on reality. He stared and stared, kept staring at the same spot for what must have been hours when Marco guided him back to his room—their room. 

And then he snapped. 

Realization bled in and he became an almost uncontrollable flurry of flames. Nobody would be able to stop him when he had his sights set on one thing and one thing only: retribution. To get vengeance for the man that betrayed their family, revenge for killing his closest friend, and justice for the lowly backstabbing ways of taking an innocent life.

"Ace, you're hurt and that's understandable, but don't take it out on Marco." He felt himself jolt at the sudden rumble of Blenheim's voice. The hug was comforting on its own and for a moment he was lost inside his own world. "All he does is his best to keep you safe, he doesn't mean any harm. Take a moment to calm down and talk, let him explain. He nearly lost someone he knew for all his life, allow him to work through that pain."

The words, reasonable and fair in anyone's eyes, did little to calm his fury of emotions running amok inside him. And Ace isn't unreasonable, he knows next to any other what pain feels like. How empty your heart would feel when someone you hold dear suddenly isn't there anymore. How nothing can compare to that wallowing pit of despair and utter emptiness when you're left with a sudden abandoned spot. He knows it well enough.

And yet, he found it hard to forgive the man for what he did. Despite knowing that Ace wouldn't had handled it any other way.

Back at Mount Colubo in the East Blue, when they had claimed the ruthless jungle as their home, Ace had done the exact same. Losing one brother had been more than enough emotional pain to deal with, there was not a hair on his body that was going to endure the loss of his other brother. 

By all means, Marco did what he had to do. Every decision he made was to protect those close to him, the same way Ace did all he could to protect Luffy. He has no right the judge the man on his actions.

A pained breath tumbled down his lips and with a shake of his head Ace faced up to meet the man before him. Yet nothing but an empty hall stared back at him, accompanied by the soft flames burning in the lanterns that illuminate the otherwise dark corridor. 

Instead of dawdling in the passage all by himself, Ace let his feet take him upstairs to the deck. The smell of fresh air should help to clear his mind, if only a bit. 

Only as his surroundings started to register in his mind, Ace noticed the lack of comforting blue waves that dance around the hull or the seagulls that scream above the sails. What he did hear however, was the increasing sound of thundering footsteps that hurriedly skitter over the wooden planks.

Traitors they are, there really was no other way to describe the feeling as his own feet took him to the place he never wanted to go—or did he…

There was no stopping the hand that reached out for the door, nor was he able to prepare himself for the sight he had avoided ever since last night. He had tried, with all his might, but it seems his subconscious had other plans in mind when he absentmindedly ambled around the ship.

A bed dressed in nothing but white greeted him, too sterile to fit the otherwise jovial personality that accompanied it. Hauntingly still laid the man on sheets of white as nurses bundled around the bed, following orders and procedures Ace knew little about, nor did he care for them. He knew it was important, that's all what mattered. 

Auburn hair free of its endless styling products lay weakly around the man's head, standing in stark contrast with the sterile sheets. As if a halo of warm red protected the man. Of what, Ace doesn't want to find out. The increasing sting in his chest was enough torment to deal with as it was. 

He amused himself with the thought that the man finally got what he wanted; surrounded by an army of hot nurses that only care about him. But he was threading on thin ice here, the moment of joy was short-lived as a piercing pain harshly dragged it away. 

He was spotted by one of the nurses, saw her approach and noted the part where she held a conversation with him—but is a one-way exchange even a conversation?

Ace turned his attention back to her, forcing his eyes to look somewhere else but the man he only knew full of life, and gave a smile he hoped looked reassuring before turning on his heel. 

This isn't good. His heart feels like bursting and for some reason his vision grew blurred. 

_Marco_

He should go back and apologize.

His body made the decision before his mind had caught up and ordered his feet to bring him back to the door he had slammed shut prior. An earie stillness hung in the air. There was no shuffle of feet, no waves dancing against the hull or beeping of medical equipment. Almost as if there was no life at all.

Only as his hand made contact with the metal doorknob, movement hesitant and lingering, is when a presence made itself apparent. From behind the heavy wooden door Ace could hear the sound of feet that tap on the floor, of furniture moving around and the clinking of what he could only assume were bottles. The image from before turned its ugly head again as Ace could only imagine the sight that will greet him when the door opens.

Encouragement disguised as a deep breath was all it took to turn the knob and walk inside. His eyes clamped shut for the fear of seeing his fabricated imaginations become to life. How their room would lay in ruins, with a heartbroken Marco sitting in the middle. Maybe Marco wouldn’t even acknowledge his presence and act like all they shared had never been there. Or maybe Marco had left their room, done with the stupid accusations, and decided he was better off without Ace. They all appeared to revolve around the same person and he was more than ready to feel the man’s wrath for saying such backstabbing and hurtful things. 

Yet his expectations and reality proved to be two different things that spectacularly floored his mind.

The ruin his mind had created was nowhere to be seen. Every piece of furniture stood exactly as Ace remembered and nothing appeared to be broken or stained. Instead, all he could see was their room lit up by several candles that where spread over every possible surface: their desk, the bedside table and even some on the floor. All accompanied by the smoldering scent of burned sage that slowly invaded his nostrils when Ace took a step further into the room.

And the one thing he was most anxious about stood beside their bed. His posture was relaxed and almost nonchalant, had Ace not known the man as he did, he never would have noticed how anxious looking Marco appeared to be.

“You’re back, yoi.” He sounded relieved and Ace could see the visible weight gradually lift from the man’s shoulders.

All Ace could manage was a nod before his eyes roamed the room once more, lingering on the candles. "What's all this?" The words left him harshly despite intending to sound curious, and Ace saw as Marco visibly tensed. 

"Ace, I'm sorry. I know how much Thatch means to you and with everything that happened, you're allowed to feel this way. Just know that I can't bear to lose anyone else, yoi." Slow steps took the blond closer to Ace until they stood at an arm's length from each other.

"We live our lives like it could be our last, but I can't stand quietly along the sidelines if you decide to avenge our friend and possibly lose your life. I love you, Ace." A hand, warm and comforting as only Marco could, cupped his cheek tenderly. Within once tranquil blue orbs brew a storm on any bit of insecurity and pain the man felt, like the unruly sea they drifted on as the heavens cried at yesterday's pain. 

"Let me make it up to you, please." The words broke into a soft whisper that barely reached his ears. Never had Ace witnessed this man so broken. The first division commander and both righthand-man of the Whitebeard pirates, a man known for his laidback personality yet perfectly executed plans, now stood before him as if he was made out off glass and the tiniest touch could break him into a million unrepairable pieces. 

The shock of finding his friend in a darkened mess of blood. The relief that came with the news that Thatch was hanging on, even if it was just a sliver of hope on a string close so snapping on any given moment. Their emotions had been unstable ever since that night. Nobody had the strength to overcome this alone, they need each other.

Without a second thought Ace closed the distance between them, his arms looping around the blonde's back as they stood in the room. A simple hug deemed the answer to their heartbroken pain and mended the pieces back together. 

"Come, yoi." Marco spoke to him in a whisper, one carried softly by the calming scents that coat their room. 

Reluctantly Ace broke the hug and followed after the man. He made a gesture to the bed and Ace obliged without a word, turning on his stomach at Marco's request. 

There was some rummaging next to him, bottles clinking and sliding over the hardwood table at the bed, and Ace wondered what Marco was doing. Suddenly the bed dipped beside him, the warmth of another person enveloping his own as Marco positioned himself over his legs. At the mere touch of the man he felt himself relax—he allowed himself to relax. 

Because nobody could make him feel more at ease with himself than Marco. Nobody showed him just how much they loved him, and Marco had turned it into his goal to make Ace feel absolutely loved. He knew nobody as relaxed as Marco, who wouldn't think twice on doing something if it meant helping the ones he loves. 

Everything the man did was in one way or another for someone else but himself. 

Hands slightly colder than his own slid over his back, its fingertips gliding smoothly over his skin as they applied pressure with every delicate touch. A new scent made itself known to Ace but he was too lost in the hands that danced over his back, the sliding slowly changed into small circles that rubbed over spots he never knew ached so bad.

From his neck to his shoulders and then his arms, Marco made sure every brush of fingers was placed exactly how it should be. Never lingering too long nor did he switch too soon. Always paying attention to his every reaction, however small that may be.

Sighs and subtle moans worked their way through his parted lips, notifying the blond on how exhilarating and pleasant the given massage was. The waltz on his back gradually turned his body into mass of jelly that gave way to every twirl or slide made by the dancing fingers. 

Ace lost track of time as a spell fell over him, forcing him to think of nothing but the smooth hands that ran over his back and the soft fragrance in the air. Everything forgotten in this moment of serenity that was just for the two of them—nobody else to interrupt this moment of intimacy. 

Yet the alluring charm was disrupted when the hands left his back. Only a slow and lingering stroke was placed over his spine before the hands rested at the bottom of his back, twirling circles just above his pants in a hesitant motion.

"I'm going to take off your pants, yoi." Marco spoke softly, his voice equal to that of a whisper, too scared to break the comfortable silence that settled around them. He was focused on doing everything he could to keep Ace dazed with the pleasant scents that floated endlessly in the room and delicate touches that traveled down his back.

The mind numbing spell Ace found himself under was broken when Marco had leaned forward and snuck his hands carefully underneath him, the previously dancing fingers now struggling with the loop of his belt. Ace could hear the concealed groan that managed to wrangle itself past the man's full lips and felt a smile play on his own.

This small interruption, while randomly pleasant, was enough to make Ace remember the things that transpired before this blissful moment. Instead of the complete serenity he experienced earlier he felt guilt eat at his heart. With each passing memory of hurtful words or sneering looks he felt himself break, steadily into a million pieces he was sure would never fit together anymore.

This kindness, this simple expression of fondness that Marco gladly showed him—without expecting anything in return. Ace can't comprehend any of it. 

He had been mean and petty, said hurtful things to the man he swore he loved with all his heart. So why? Why would Marco bother to give him something without expecting anything in return? How could Marco be so selfless and put Ace first, when he, too, was broken on the inside? None of it made sense within the turmoil of his heart.

_"I love you."_

Words softly breathed in the wind that carried them away. So delicately whispered against his back, perfectly aligned between his shoulder blades as lips scorched his already heated skin. 

And suddenly everything made sense to him.

In one swell movement Ace reversed their roles as he sat perched on Marco's hips, his pants partly undone and showing off the usual lack of underwear. But that was not where Ace put his attention on, his entire being was focused on the startled blond before him. Blazing blue orbs swirled with confusion back into his own determined gray. 

"I'm sorry," Ace cut over Marco's question on what was going on. "I said horrible things to you and almost broke us apart. I'm a mess and literally the one thing that could put us, our relationship, in jeopardy." His voice cracked at the end as Ace knew none of this would have happened if he didn't get so hotheaded. And the teary-eyed look from the blond wasn't helping his current predicament on trying to find the proper words for his apology. 

"My head went into a mindless state and I just... I never stopped to think on how any of you feel—how you feel. And I, I had to consider that. I know that I had to. But..." admitting to his feelings had always been a difficult part for Ace, even coming to terms with his love for the commander had taken him a long time to admit, and now with his heart overloaded with so many different emotions he felt insecure about speaking his mind. 

He wanted to tell Marco how important the man had been to him. Explain to the blond that he loves him with all his heart and never meant to hurt him. Accentuate just how much he adores Marco and all his quirky characteristics. How free he feels when Marco shows Ace that he is all that is important to him—that nobody mattered but the two of them.

But the selfless act of giving his all and expecting nothing in return got him tongue tied. How could Ace ever compete with such a clear expression of pure love and adoration? How could he ever meet the man halfway when he already stood so high up from where Ace was standing? How could he be as selfless as Marco for once?

The never-ending string of words that darted impatiently at the tip of his tongue was promptly cut off when arms wrapped around him. His face puzzled in the crook of the man's neck and in reply Ace followed the motion to bring Marco closer to his own. 

"Ace," an uncharacteristic crack resonated from the usual even voice and Ace could do little but hold his breath in anticipation. "Thank you, thank you so much, yoi." 

Arms that enveloped Ace in a comforting hug wound tighter as Marco burrowed his face into his messy mob of black hair. And if Ace noticed a certain wet spot on his head or a soft sniffle masked by his hair, he didn't comment on it. 

All what mattered was them. 

Steady hands reached for the face buried in hair and tear struck eyes locked with ashen ones. No words were needed to comfort one another as their eyes reflected all they felt on the inside. Love. The purest form of adoration one could experience for another. And it shone as bright as the stars that illuminated the unruly skies overhead. 

Lips met in a soft caress, matching each other perfectly as they slot together. Ace allowed his lips to follow the shape of Marco's, mouthing his way slowly to the man's cheek and tasting the light salt of tears as he reached higher. He felt Marco relax in his arms. His eyes closed and breath even as Ace remained adamant in touching every part of untouched skin.

Their lips fit together once more as they move to lay down, their arms wrapped around each other still. Nothing would be enough to break them apart, not now and not ever. Not even the darkest days—those that would surely come along in the future. Nothing but death would tear them apart now, and even then their love shall not wither. 

Tangled legs made it hard to discern where one begins and the other ends, fevered hands clutching to each other's backs as chests aligned and heartbeats synchronized. Only the need of air managed to break the extensive need for one another. 

"I love you," Ace breathed against slick lips, his confession loaded with every emotion whirling through him at this very moment. 

A breathless chuckle was his reply, the deep rumble he knew was like a drug to him. "I love you, too, Ace." Marco mouthed on his cheek, moistening the skin with his warm and uneven breath. 

The attention shifted to his neck and Ace let a sigh slip past his lips. He loved the dedicated attentiveness that Marco was so eager of on showing him, but all he needed in this moment was Marco. No need for selfless acts to make up for something he shouldn't have to apologize for. Ace wanted Marco all for himself and remain as this tangled mess for the rest of their days.

His hands altered the course of the blonde's travel down his neck and Ace puzzled their lips together once more—and many more times over if he had a say in this. 

"You want me to finish it, yoi?" Marco asked as they parted for air, hinting at the massage Ace had suddenly interrupted.

He shook his head, that wasn't what he wanted, what he _needed_ right now. "The only thing I need is you." Ace answered as he leaned in, aiming for the man's lips who in turn happily followed along. 

The massage sounded like a wonderful idea, Ace thought to himself as he nestled himself further against Marco's chest. With a single opened eye he could see the bottle of sweet almond oil standing on the table and a plan formed in his head. Tonight they might spend their night differently from how Marco imagined it, but in the morning Ace will be ready to reverse their roles and give the blond a massage of his own. 

Ace felt a smile dance on his lips at the thought of a surprised Marco, it only proved to grow into a wider grin as the blond hummed in question. 

Tomorrow he would show how much he cared for Marco with a self-improvised massage, tonight they will bask in each other's presence and reignite the spark between them. Because with the days of uncertainty ahead of them, they need these moments of intimacy to keep each other sharp.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, I really do hope you enjoyed the fic! Feel free to leave a comment to let me know what you think! :3


End file.
